A special "50 STATE CONFERENCE CALL" to discuss BSE (BovineSpongiform Encephalopathy) issues for Food and Drug Administration(FDA) regulated animal feed products in the United States andimported animal feeds. The conference call willdiscuss the FDA proposed response to the current BSE issue and theassistance needed from state feed and agriculture programs. THISISSUE MAY IMPACT ALL STATES AND ALL ANIMAL FEED AND PRODUCTIONINDUSTRIES.

The 50 State call is scheduled for Tuesday, January 9, 2001 from1:00-2:00 pm EST. Any state agency responsible for animal feed issueswishing to participate should call 1-888-273-9887 and ask to beconnected to the "50 State BSE Call". The conference host operatorwill explain how to participate, including asking questions duringthe call. If possible, please coordinate within your state to utilizeonly one phone line per state agency.

We request that you forward this message to your agency managementand feed coordinators or other agencies or departments who may beresponsible for any animal feed issues related to FDA regulatedproducts.

The agenda will be as follows:

1. Center For Veterinary Medicine (FDA) - Discussion of the problemrelated to BSE events in Europe and the impact on US feed ingredientsfor animals and feed operations. Discussion of the proposedactions/inspections/compliance of licensed and unlicensed feed mills,commercial feed manufacturers, animal feed imports, renderer's,protein blenders, on-farm mixers, and ruminant feeders.

2. Office of Regional Operations (FDA) - Discussion ofcontracting/working with states to inspect the universe of feedmills/industry for "Animal Proteins Prohibited from Use in AnimalFeed". Discussion of working with FDA field offices.

3. Questions and answers.

Richard H. Barnes, DirectorDivision of Federal-State Relations (HFC-150)5600 Fishers Lane Room 1207Rockville, Md. 20857ph: (301) 827-6906 FAX: (301) 443-2143Email: [log in to unmask] http://lists.ifas.ufl.edu/cgi-bin/wa.exe?A2=ind0101&L=sanet-mg&P=13410 Subject: BSE--U.S. 50 STATE CONFERENCE CALL Jan. 9, 2001 Date: Tue, 9 Jan 2001 16:49:00 -0800 From: "Terry S. Singeltary Sr." Reply-To: Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy To: BSE-L@uni-karlsruhe.de ######### Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy ######### Greetings List Members, I was lucky enough to sit in on this BSE conference call today and even managed to ask a question. that is when the trouble started. I submitted a version of my notes to Sandra Blakeslee of the New York Times, whom seemed very upset, and rightly so. "They tell me it is a closed meeting and they will release whatever information they deem fit. Rather infuriating." and i would have been doing just fine, until i asked my question. i was surprised my time to ask a question so quick. (understand, these are taken from my notes for now. the spelling of names and such could be off.) [host Richard Barns] and now a question from Terry S. Singeltary of CJD Watch. [TSS] yes, thank you, U.S. cattle, what kind of guarantee can you give for serum or tissue donor herds? [no answer, you could hear in the back ground, mumbling and 'we can't. have him ask the question again.] [host Richard] could you repeat the question? [TSS] U.S. cattle, what kind of guarantee can you give for serum or tissue donor herds? [not sure whom ask this] what group are you with? [TSS] CJD Watch, my Mom died from hvCJD and we are tracking CJD world-wide. [not sure who is speaking] could you please disconnect Mr. Singeltary [TSS] you are not going to answer my question? [not sure whom speaking] NO from this point, i was still connected, got to listen and tape the whole conference. at one point someone came on, a woman, and ask again; [unknown woman] what group are you with? [TSS] CJD Watch and my Mom died from hvCJD we are trying to tract down CJD and other human TSE's world wide. i was invited to sit in on this from someone inside the USDA/APHIS and that is why i am here. do you intend on banning me from this conference now? at this point the conference was turned back up, and i got to finish listening. They never answered or even addressed my one question, or even addressed the issue. BUT, i will try and give you a run-down for now, of the conference. IF i were another Country, I would take heed to my notes, BUT PLEASE do not depend on them. ask for transcript from; RBARNS@ORA.FDA.GOV 301-827-6906 he would be glad to give you one ;-) Rockville Maryland, Richard Barns Host BSE issues in the U.S., How they were labelling ruminant feed? Revising issues. The conference opened up with the explaining of the U.K. BSE epidemic winding down with about 30 cases a week. although new cases in other countries were now appearing. Look at Germany whom said NO BSE and now have BSE. BSE increasing across Europe. Because of Temporary Ban on certain rendered product, heightened interest in U.S. A recent statement in Washington Post, said the New Administration (old GW) has a list of issues. BSE is one of the issues. BSE Risk is still low, minimal in U.S. with a greater interest in MBM not to enter U.S. HOWEVER, if BSE were to enter the U.S. it would be economically disastrous to the render, feed, cattle, industries, and for human health. (human health-they just threw that in cause i was listening. I will now jot down some figures in which they told you, 'no need to write them down'. just hope i have them correct. hmmm, maybe i hope i don't ???) 80% inspection of rendering *Problem-Complete coverage of rendering HAS NOT occurred. sizeable number of 1st time FAILED INITIAL INSPECTION, have not been reinspected (70% to 80%). Compliance critical, Compliance poor in U.K. and other European Firms. Gloria Dunason Major Assignment 1998 goal TOTAL compliance. This _did not_ occur. Mixed level of compliance, depending on firm. Rendering FDA license and NON FDA license system in place for home rendering & feed 76% in compliance 79% cross contamination 21% DID NOT have system 92% record keeping less than 60% total compliance 279 inspectors 185 handling prohibited materials Renderer at top of pyramid, significant part of compliance. 84% compliance failed to have caution statement render 72% compliance & cross contamination caution statement on feed, 'DO NOT FEED TO CATTLE' 56 FIRMS NEVER INSPECTED 1240 FDA license feed mills 846 inspected "close to 400 feed mills have not been inspected" 80% compliance for feed. 10% don't have system. NON-FDA licensed mills There is NO inventory on non licensed mills. approximately 6000 to 8000 Firms ??? 4,344 ever inspected. "FDA does not have a lot of experience with" 40% do NOT have caution statement 'DO NOT FEED'. 74% Commingling compliance "This industry needs a lot of work and only half gotten to" "700 Firms that were falitive, and need to be re-inspected, in addition to the 8,000 Firms." Quote to do BSE inspection in 19 states by end of January or 30 days, and other states 60 days. to change feed status??? Contract check and ask questions and pass info. At this time, we will take questions. [I was about the third or fourth to ask question. then all B.S.eee broke loose, and i lost my train of thought for a few minutes. picked back up here] someone asking about nutritional supplements and sourcing, did not get name. something about inspectors not knowing of BSE risk??? the conference person assuring that Steve Follum? and the TSE advisory Committee were handling that. Some other Dr. Vet, whom were asking questions that did not know what to do??? [Dennis Wilson] California Food Agr. Imports, are they looking at imports? [Conference person] they are looking at imports, FDA issued imports Bulletin. [Linda Singeltary ??? this was a another phone in question, not related i don't think] Why do we have non-licensed facilities? (conference person) other feed mills do not handle as potent drugs??? Dennis Blank, Ken Jackson licensed 400 non FDA 4400 inspected of a total of 6000 to 8000, (they really don't know how many non licensed Firms in U.S. they guess 6000 to 8000??? TSS) Linda Detwiler asking everyone (me) not to use emergency BSE number, unless last resort. (i thought of calling them today, and reporting the whole damn U.S. cattle herd ;-) 'not' Warren-Maryland Dept. Agr. Prudent to re-inspect after 3 years. concerned of Firms that have changed owners. THE END TSS ############ http://mailhost.rz.uni-karlsruhe.de/warc/bse-l.html ############ FROM New York TIMES Subject: Re: BSE 50 STATE CONFERENCE CALL thread from BSE List and FDA Posting of cut version... Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2001 22:02:47 -0700 From: "Sandy Blakeslee" To: "Terry S. Singeltary Sr." References: 1 Hi terry -- thanks for all your help. I know it made a difference with the FDA getting out that release. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Terry S. Singeltary Sr." To: Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2001 2:06 PM Subject: BSE 50 STATE CONFERENCE CALL thread from BSE List and FDA Posting of cut version... > http://www.vegsource.com/talk/madcow/messages/8219.html > http://www.vegsource.com/talk/madcow/messages/8220.html > http://www.vegsource.com/talk/madcow/messages/8221.html > http://www.vegsource.com/talk/madcow/messages/8222.html > http://www.vegsource.com/talk/madcow/messages/8230.html > > hi sandy, >From the New York Times NYTimes.com, January 11, 2001 Many Makers of Feed Fail to Heed Rules on Mad Cow Disease By SANDRA BLAKESLEE Large numbers of companies involved in manufacturing animal feed are not complying with regulations meant to prevent the emergence and spread of mad cow disease in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration said yesterday. The widespread failure of companies to follow the regulations, adopted in August 1997, does not mean that the American food supply is unsafe, Dr. Stephen Sundlof, director of the Center for Veterinary Medicine at the F.D.A., said in an interview. But much more needs to be done to ensure that mad cow disease does not arise in this country, Dr. Sundlof said. The regulations state that feed manufacturers and companies that render slaughtered animals into useful products generally may not feed mammals to cud-chewing animals, or ruminants, which can carry mad cow disease. All products that contain rendered cattle or sheep must have a label that says, "Do not feed to ruminants," Dr. Sundlof said. Manufacturers must also have a system to prevent ruminant products from being commingled with other rendered material like that from chicken, fish or pork. Finally, all companies must keep records of where their products originated and where they were sold. Under the regulations, F.D.A. district offices and state veterinary offices were required to inspect all rendering plants and feed mills to make sure companies complied. But results issued yesterday demonstrate that more than three years later, different segments of the feed industry show varying levels of compliance. Among 180 large companies that render cattle and another ruminant, sheep, nearly a quarter were not properly labeling their products and did not have a system to prevent commingling, the F.D.A. said. And among 347 F.D.A.-licensed feed mills that handle ruminant materials - these tend to be large operators that mix drugs into their products - 20 percent were not using labels with the required caution statement, and 25 percent did not have a system to prevent commingling. Then there are some 6,000 to 8,000 feed mills so small they do not require F.D.A. licenses. They are nonetheless subject to the regulations, and of 1,593 small feed producers that handle ruminant material and have been inspected, 40 percent were not using approved labels and 25 percent had no system in place to prevent commingling. On the other hand, fewer than 10 percent of companies, big and small, were failing to comply with the record-keeping regulations. The American Feed Industry Association in Arlington, Va., did not return phone calls seeking comment. http://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/11/science/11COW.html Subject: USDA/APHIS response to BSE-L--U.S. 50 STATE CONFERENCE CALL Jan. 9, 2001 Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2001 14:04:21 -0500 From: "Gomez, Thomas M." Reply-To: Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy To: BSE-L@uni-karlsruhe.de ######### Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy ######### USDA/APHIS would like to provide clarification on the following point from Mr. Singeltary's 9 Jan posting regarding the 50 state conference call. [Linda Detwiler asking everyone (me) not to use emergency BSE number, unless last resort. (i thought of calling them today, and reporting the whole damn U.S. cattle herd ;-) 'not'] Dr. Detwiler was responding to an announcement made during the call to use the FDA emergency number if anyone wanted to report a cow with signs suspect for BSE. Mr. Singeltary is correct that Dr. Detwiler asked participants to use the FDA emergency number as a last resort to report cattle suspect for BSE. What Mr. Singeltary failed to do was provide the List with Dr. Detwiler's entire statement. Surveillance for BSE in the United States is a cooperative effort between states, producers, private veterinarians, veterinary hospitals and the USDA. The system has been in place for over 10 years. Each state has a system in place wherein cases are reported to either the State Veterinarian, the federal Veterinarian in Charge or through the veterinary diagnostic laboratory system. The states also have provisions with emergency numbers. Dr. Detwiler asked participants to use the systems currently in place to avoid the possibility of a BSE-suspect report falling through the cracks. Use of the FDA emergency number has not been established as a means to report diseased cattle of any nature. ############ http://mailhost.rz.uni-karlsruhe.de/warc/bse-l.html ############ Subject: Re: USDA/APHIS response to BSE-L--U.S. 50 STATE CONFERENCE CALL Jan.9, 2001 Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2001 13:44:49 -0800 From: "Terry S. Singeltary Sr." Reply-To: Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy To: BSE-L@uni-karlsruhe.de References: 1 ######### Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy ######### Hello Mr. Thomas, > What Mr. Singeltary failed to do was provide > the List with Dr. Detwiler's entire statement. would you and the USDA/APHIS be so kind as to supply this list with a full text version of the conference call and or post on your web-site? if so when, and thank you. if not, why not? > The system has been in place for over 10 years. that seems to be a very long time for a system to be in place, and only test 10,700 cattle from some 1.5 BILLION head (including calf crop). Especially since French are testing some 20,000 weekly and the E.U. as a whole, are testing many many more than the U.S., with less cattle, same risk of BSE/TSEs. Why does the U.S. insist on not doing massive testing with the tests which the E.U. are using? Why is this, please explain? Please tell me why my question was not answered? > U.S. cattle, what kind of guarantee can you > give for serum or tissue donor herds? It was a very simple question, a very important question, one that pertained to the topic of BSE/feed, and asked in a very diplomatic way. why was it not answered? If all these years, we have been hearing that pharmaceutical grade bovines were raised for pharmaceuticals vaccines etc. But yet the USA cannot comply with feed regulations of the ruminant feed ban, PLUS cannot even comply with the proper labelling of the feed, cross contamination etc. Then how in the world can you Guarantee the feed fed to pharmaceutical grade bovine, were actually non ruminant feed? Before i was ask to be 'disconnected', i did hear someone in the background say 'we can't'-- have him ask the question again. could you please be so kind, as to answer these questions? thank you, Terry S. Singeltary Sr. Bacliff, Texas USA P.S. if you will also notice, i did not post that emergency phone number and do not intend on passing it on to anyone. I was joking when i said i should call and report the whole damn U.S. Herd. So please pass that on to Dr. Detwiler, so she can rest easily. BUT, they should be reported, some are infected with TSE. The U.S. is just acting as stupid as Germany and other Countries that insist they are free of BSE. TSS Subject: Report on the assessment of the Georgraphical BSE-risk of the USA July 2000 (not good) Date: Wed, 17 Jan 2001 21:23:51 -0800 From: "Terry S. Singeltary Sr." Reply-To: Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy To: BSE-L@uni-karlsruhe.de ######### Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy ######### Greetings List Members and ALL EU Countries, Because of this report, and the recent findings of the 50-state BSE Conference call, I respectfully seriously suggest that these Countries and the SSC re-evaluate the U.S.A. G.B.R. to a risk factor of #3. snip... Terry S. Singeltary Sr., P.O. Box 42, Bacliff, Texas USA 77518 http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/dailys/03/Jan03/012403/8004be07.html

CVM Update<January 10, 2001

UPDATE ON RUMINANT FEED (BSE) ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) is a type of “transmissible spongiform encephalopathy” disease that infects cattle. After the first case in 1986 in the United Kingdom, BSE quickly became an epidemic in cattle herds there. No cases of BSE have been found in U.S. cattle, despite active monitoring.

Rendered feed ingredients contaminated with an infectious agent are believed to be the source of BSE infection in cattle. Some of the feed given to cattle includes remnants of the slaughtering process, such as the brain and spinal cord, which may harbor the agent that causes BSE. Although the material is cooked during the rendering process, the BSE agent can survive.

To prevent the establishment and amplification of BSE through feed in the United States, FDA implemented a final rule that prohibits the feeding of mammalian protein to ruminant animals in most cases. This rule, Title 21 Part 589.2000 of the Code of Federal Regulations, became effective on August 4, 1997.

FDA developed an enforcement plan with the goal of 100% compliance with this rule. For the first two years it was in effect, the enforcement plan included education as well as inspections with FDA taking compliance actions for egregious actions or repeated non-compliance. As part of the enforcement plan, an assignment was issued to all FDA District Offices in 1998 to conduct inspections of 100% of all renderers and feed mills and some ruminant feeders to determine compliance.

FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) has assembled data from the inspections conducted thus far, and presented the following data in a conference call FDA held with Federal and State feed control officials on January 9, 2001.

To date, there have been a total of 9,947 inspections. The majority of these inspections (around 80%) were conducted by State officials and the remainder by FDA. Various segments of the feed industry had different levels of compliance.

For Renderers, who are at the "top of the pyramid" since they are the first to handle rendered protein, and who send materials to feed mills and other ruminant feeders:

For Non-FDA Licensed Feed Mills -- 4,344 inspected (FDA does not know the total number since they are not required to be licensed by the Agency, but it could be 6,000 - 8,000.) Of those feed mills inspected, 1,593 were handling prohibited material:

FDA is continuing its enforcement efforts to achieve the goals of 100% inspection of all renderers and feed mills and some ruminant feeders and 100% compliance with the ruminant feed regulations. FDA Field offices have an assignment to re-inspect 700 firms that were not in full compliance with the rule but have committed to implementing the regulation. In addition, FDA is seeking assistance from State feed control officials to identify non-FDA licensed feed mills and to conduct additional inspections in all categories. FDA anticipates higher levels of compliance after completion of follow-up inspections.

Of interest...don't repeat. On Jan 9, was somewhereand not able to tie into conference call. Was aroundan official who should have been on conferencecall..another person with me also remembered it and weboth inquired as to how the call went. Was told (toboth of us) that the call had been cancelled!! (Toldus several times that the call was cancelled and theydid not know why!!!) I will try to find out why thisperson said that...maybe they got off the call or theywere told to tell everyone that the call was cancelled. You need to POST your interaction with the conferencecall on a web site....let me know when you do...

snip...

There must be a reason forthe lying....??? Surely people who are reallyinterested will found out what went on? There arequite a few people who listened in and declined toidentify or acknowledge that they listened in...whythe big secrecy or this person may have been told todo this. Need to know!!! Something dirty is goingon...some sort of treachery seems to be in the works...Not a good situation for me right now...wish I couldtell you more as to what is going on...but toodangerous right now...got to sort it out.

***

Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2001 23:50:31 +0000 (GMT)

From:

Subject: stuff

To: "Terry S. Singeltary Sr."

Confidential:

Budget: let me know what you find out and thebreakdown. There may be some stuff stuffed into itwhich is not legit... They may figure some salariesand such...the real gist of the matter is the shockingamount of $ that is actually used to "ferret" out thedisease and the $ that are used to P.R. the wholeaffair and give appearance of being concerned andinvolved...again it was said years ago and it shouldbe taken seriously....BSE will NEVER be found in the US!

As for the BSE conference call...I think you did agreat service to freedom of information and makingsome people feign integrity...I find it scary to seethat most of the "experts" are employed by the federalgovernment or are supported on the "teat" of federalfunds. A scary picture!

snip...

The most frightening thing I have read all day is thereport of Gambetti's finding of a new strain ofsporadic cjd in young people.........Dear God, what inthe name of all that is holy is that!!!If the US has different strains ofscrapie.....why????than the UK...then would the samemechanisms that make different strains of scrapie heremake different strains of BSE...if the patterns aredifferent in sheep and mice for scrapie.....could notthe BSE be different in the cattle, in the mink, inthe humans.......I really think the slides or tissuesand everything from these young people with the newstrain of sporadic cjd should be put up to be analyzedby many, many experts in cjd........bse.....scrapieScrape the damn slide and put it intomice.....wait.....chop up the mouse brain and andspinal cord........put into some more mice.....dammitamplify the thing and start the damnedresearch.....This is NOT rocket science...we need touse what we know and get off our butts and move....thewhining about how long everything takes.....well ittakes a whole lot longer if you whine for a year andthen start the research!!!Not sure where I read this but it was a recent pressrelease or something like that:I thought I would fall out of my chair when I readabout how there was no worry about infectivity from ahistopath slide or tissues because they are preservedin formic acid, or formalin or formaldehyde.....forGod's sake........ Ask any pathologist in the UK whatthe brain tissues in the formalin looks like after ayear.......it is a big fat sponge...the agentcontinues to eat the brain ......you can't make slidesanymore because the agent has never stopped........andthe old slides that are stained with Hemolysin andEosin......they get holier and holier and degenerateand continue...what you looked at 6 months ago is notthere........Gambetti better be photographing everydamned thing he is looking at.....

Okay, you need to know. You don't need to pass it onas nothing will come of it and there is not a damnedthing anyone can do about it. Don't even hint at itas it will be denied and laughed at..........USDA is gonna do as little as possible until there isactually a human case in the USA of thenvcjd........if you want to move this thing along andshake the earth....then we gotta get the victimsfamilies to make sure whoever is doing the autopsy iscredible, trustworthy, and a saint with the courage ofJoan of Arc........I am not kidding!!!!so, unless we get a human death from EXACTLY the sameform with EXACTLY the same histopath lesions as seenin the UK nvcjd........forget any action........it isALL gonna be sporadic!!!

And, if there is a case.......there is gonna be everyeffort to link it to international travel,international food, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. Theywill go so far as to find out if a sex partner hadever traveled to the UK/europe, etc. etc. ....It is gonna be a long, lonely, dangerous twistedjourney to the truth. They have all the cards, allthe money, and are willing to threaten and carry outthose threats....and this may be their biggestdownfall...

Thanks as always for your help.(Recently had a very startling revelation from a rather senior person ingovernment here..........knocked me out of my chair........you must keeppushing. If I was a power person....I would be demanding that there be aleast a million bovine tested as soon as possible and agressivelyseeking this disease. The big players are coming out of the woodwork asthere is money to be made!!!In short: "FIRE AT WILL"!!! for the very dumb....who's "will"! "Willbe the burden to bare if there is any coverup!"